Organisers Human Voyage are prepared for any eventuality in the PETRONAS Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL).
They have taken steps to ensure the smooth running of the Borneo stage of LTdL, which starts this week.
As teams, riders, officials and guests start arriving in Kota Kinabalu for the official Team Presentation and Resorts World Genting Kota Kinabalu Criterium International race on Feb 5-6 respectively, Human Voyage, led by Chief Operating Officer Shahaizereen A Hamid, has stepped up efforts to assure all organisational aspects of the race, including health safety in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, are in place.
Shahaizereen said details of land and air transportation of team, officials and the whole entourage to Kota Kinabalu and Kuching have been carefully looked into to avoid any serious logistical challenges.
Twenty-one teams have confirmed participation in this year’s LTdL, which starts off with the Criterium race at Padang Merdeka, Kota Kinabalu on Thursday.
The inaugural Criterium race is held in conjunction with LTdL’s 25th silver jubilee celebration this year. Stage 1 of the race proper will take place on Friday at Padang Merdeka, Kuching.
“All the related parties, including the local agencies are well aware of their responsibilities. We’ll be ready for any eventuality and we hope to provide a safe and conducive environment for riders, teams, officials and the whole entourage during the race,” said Shahaizereen yesterday.
The teams competing in LTdL include one World Tour, five Pro Continental, 14 Continental teams and one national team (Malaysia).
Two China-based teams — Hengxiang and Giant Racing — had earlier pulled out due to the Wuhan virus outbreak.
The teams: NTT Pro Cycling Team (Rsa), Androni Giacatolli-Sidermec (Ita), Bardian CSF Fanzane (Ita), Nippo Delko One Provence (Fra), Vini Zabu KTM (Ita), B&B Hotels-Vital Concept (Fra), Aisan Racing team (Jpn), Team Bridgelane (Aus), PGN Cycling Team (Ina), KSPO Professional (Kor), ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast (Aus), SSOIS Miogee Cycling Team (Chn), St George Continental Team (Aus), Team Sapura Cycling (Mas), Terengganu TSG Cycling Team (Mas), Thailand Continental Team (Tha), Vino-Astana Motors (Kaz), Wildlife Generation Pro Cycling (US), Utsunomiya Blitzen (Jpn), HKSI (HK) and Malaysian National Team.
New Straits Times, 4 February 2020